Mail-box.



No. 684,439. Patented Oct. 15, mm.

w. w. KYLE.

mul. BOX (Application filed Feb. 5,1901. Renewed Sept. 18, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

"' mu-dbwwm witnesses No. 684,439. Patented Oct. I5, I901. W. W. KYLE.

MAIL BOX. (Application filed. Feb. 5, 1901. Renewed s'e e. 16, 1901. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

auveutoz wummm Q A .NITED STATES PATENT Carton.

\VALLACE XV. KYLE, OF PULASKI, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BOX.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,439, dated October 15, 1901. Application filed February 5, 1901. Renewed Eleptember 16, 1901. Serial No. 75,478. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE l V. KYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pulaski, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to mail-boxes especially designed for-use in rural districts to receive mail for collection and delivery, the construction being such that when a piece of mail-matter is deposited in the box by the postman for delivery or by a person for collection a signal will be displayed, thus giving notice to the postman that mail is in the box for his collection or giving notice to the person that mail-matter has been deposited in the box by the postman.

The object of the invention is to provide a box which shall be simple of construction, durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production and by the employment of which time which has heretofore been needlessly lost by the postman in rural districts, who must oftentimes travel in from the road a considerable distance in order to ascertain whether any mail is in the box to be collected, is saved. Time is also saved and inconvenience obviated by the occupant of the dwelling in front of which the box is placed, sometimes at a considerable distance from the house. If the postman has passed unnoticed by the occupants of the house and if he has placed mail-matter within the box, a signal will be displayed to the occupants, thus notifying them that mail has been delivered by the postman, thus relieving them of the necessity of going to the box to look for mail.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved mail-box when closed, showing in full lines the position of the signal when mail has been deposited in the box and in dotted lines the position of the signal when there is no mail in the box. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the cover being swung back and a piece of mail-matter being shown in position to cause the signal to be displayed; Fig. 3 is a front view of the box with the cover swung back.

1 denotes the body of the box, which may be of any well-known or approved construction, and 2 denotes its hinged cover.

3 denotes a holder arranged within the box and adapted to hold a piece of mail. This hold-er preferably consists of a fixed metallic strip 4, to which is pivoted one endof a spring clasp 5.

6 denotes a bail pivoted within the box at one side of the holder. The outer end of the pivot is fixed to a swinging arm 7.

8 denotes a signal which preferably consists of a stafi 9, pivoted to the cover intermedi' ate the ends of the staff and provided at one end with a signal, which may be in the form of a flag, target, or other device 10.

ll denotes a stop fixed to the cover.

In operation when it is desired to place a piece of mail within the box by the postman for delivery or by the occupant of the adjoining premises for collection the cover is swung back to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position it will be seen that the flagstaff will be tilted upon its pivot and held by the stop 11. The letter or package is now inserted within the holder, and in the act of inserting this letter or package the bail is swung down into the position shown in Fig. 2, thus elevating the arm to which it is attached to a horizontal position within the path of movement of the end of the stafi. The cover is now closed, and the lower end of the staff coming in contact with the horizontally-extending arm is caused to be held in the position shown in Fig. 1 in full lines, thus displaying the signal and indicating that mail is in the box. After the mail has been removed from the box the bail is closed and the arm permitted to swing down, thus allowing the staff with its signal to swing parallel with and down along the end of the box and be held in that position by the stop hereinbefore referred to, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- V V 1. The combination, with email-box and its hinged cover, of a holder arranged Within the box and adapted to contain the mail, a bail pivoted within the box and secured to an arm located on the outside of the box, and a horizontal staff pivoted to the cover of the box and adapted when mail is placed within the holder and the bail moved to a position to elevate said arm, to engage its arm anddisplay the signal, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a mail-box and its hinged cover, of a mail-holder located within the box, a bail pivoted within the box adjacent to the mail-holder, an arm located on the outside of the box and connected to the bail, a stop carried by the cover, a signal-staff pivoted to the cover and adapted to engage the stop, said arm when mail is engaged with the holder and the bail extended in the path of movement of the signal-stafi to hold said stafi and display the signal, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit IIQSSGS.

W'ALLACE W. KYLE. Witnesses:

CHARLES STAVER, J. H. DUFF. 

